On the Double
by MasenVixen
Summary: It's Bella's first day on the job as a body double in the new Edward Masen film. First up? The sex scene...O/S for the Haiti Compilation. Rated M for lemons. AH
1. Chapter 1

Thanks so much to **MsKathy** for giving us this opportunity to contribute to such an amazing cause. Thanks to all of you who donated to the relief effort in Haiti. We're so proud to be a part of a community that cares.

Thanks to **annanabanana** for going above and beyond the call of duty to beta this little piece of fluff. If you read our multi-chaptered AU fic, Stranger than Fiction, you'll find this quite a departure in tone. We had a lot of fun with it and hope you enjoy. XOXO ~MV.

Stephenie Meyer owns Twilight.

**On the Double**

When I'd registered with the casting agency, I never really thought I would get a call. I mean, I could see the resemblance between myself and Jessica Stanley, but I figured there must be a hundred experienced actresses lining up to serve as her stand-in on films.

I wasn't even an aspiring actress. I was pretty sure I could handle simple directions like "stand here" and "walk over there," but my long-term goals were more level-headed; I was in my second year of law school at USC.

But even with my student loans, money was tight. Living in Southern California was certainly not cheap and my dad, Charlie, had already depleted his savings putting me through undergrad at the University of Washington.

I was on my second week of the ramen noodle diet when my friend Angela convinced me to look into stand-in work to help pay the bills.

The casting director had called me a few days ago, asking if I could be available to start immediately on a Carlisle Cullen film that was already well underway in filming - some romantic drama.

The circumstances, she warned, were a bit unusual. Filming had already progressed beyond the lighting and scene-arrangement phase, so stand-ins were no longer needed. But Jessica Stanley's body double had come down with the swine flu, so they needed a replacement on short notice. It was unusual, though not unheard of, for a stand-in to also serve as a body double for a lead actor. The main difference between the two was that body doubles actually appear on film, while stand-ins were used before filming began to adjust lighting and block scenes. In this case, the film was on a strict budget and a tight deadline that had already been pushed twice. There was no back-up for the body double and the studio insisted a replacement be brought in on short notice.

Simply put, I was wholly unqualified, completely inexperienced and nervous as hell at the thought of actually appearing on camera. But any misgivings I had flew out the window when she'd mentioned the film's star: Edward Masen.

_Edward Masen?_

It was an offer I couldn't refuse. He was, indisputably, the sexiest, most talented actor I'd ever had occasion to swoon over - and the only one I'd ever actually written fan mail to. Of course, that was back in high school. I liked to think that with maturity, my obsession with Edward Masen had ripened into a simple appreciation of his beauty and of his craft. And his smile. And his ass.

At twenty-eight, he was just five years older than me. My favorite picture of him was his most recent cover for the "50 Most Beautiful People" edition of _People_ magazine. In the shot, he was leaning against a wall, bracing his weight on one sinewy forearm. He wore a pair of dark blue jeans and a crisp white button down, unbuttoned, exposing his perfectly sculpted chest and abs. His signature facial expression was the shy smile that had melted my heart when I first saw him play the rookie pitcher in the movie _Fastball_ eight years ago.

He'd grown up since then, of course, but he still retained the boyish charm that had lured me in when I was a teenager. The fact that his fan base had graduated from "PG-13" to "R" didn't hurt matters any; with each film, the characters he played became a little more brazen. A little less inhibited. And a lot more naked.

Now I was in my beat-up old Chevy Truck, driving to a soundstage.

And I wasn't simply going to be _meeting_ Edward Masen; I was going to be filming a _sex scene_ with him.

I gripped the steering wheel until my knuckles turned white and then sucked in a few deliberate breaths in a vain attempt to calm my nerves as I pulled into the lot and parked my truck. A young production assistant, with clipboard in hand, was waiting in the parking lot to usher me through the soundstage door.

"Bella Swan?" He stuck out his hand. "I'm Mike Newton. I'll be escorting you to the set."

I was grateful for the distraction Mike's presence provided as he whisked me through the halls to a small dressing room. There was a strip of masking tape on the door over which my name was written in black magic marker.

"Alice will be doing your make-up. I'm at extension twenty-five if you need anything at all." He patted my hand reassuringly before opening the door and motioning for me to enter.

"Bella?" A tiny raven-haired beauty was already in the room, unfolding a velvet pouch filled with make-up brushes.

"Uh, yeah, I mean, yes, I'm Bella," I stuttered. God, I could hardly keep it together for the make-up artist. How was I _ever_ going to get through this?

"I'm Alice." She reached her hand out and shook mine briskly, gesturing for me to sit in the chair facing the vanity. She set about pulling my hair out of the confines of my ponytail and fluffing it around my shoulders. "Nervous, huh?"

I met her gaze in the mirror. "That obvious?"

"Well, I know you're new to this, so I imagine shooting a sex scene with Edward Masen is probably pretty intimidating." She was gently tugging at my hair with her brush, smiling sweetly at my reflection as she spoke.

I stared down at my hands, picking nervously at my fingers. "Yeah, I mean, this wasn't quite what I expected for my first day on the job."

"Well, I don't blame you for being a little jittery, Bella. That's perfectly normal." She stroked my hair softly now, rolling it into large Velcro rollers as she worked. "Of course it's a bit unconventional for him to be shooting a scene with an untrained double - much less a _sex_ scene - but I promise there's really nothing to be scared of. Edward is a consummate professional. I've worked with him on five films now, and I promise he'll make sure you're completely comfortable."

I glanced back up to meet her eyes, giving her a grateful smile in return for her reassuring words. "Thanks a lot. I'm sure it will be fine. It's just . . . well . . . "

"You've worshipped Edward Masen for years? You think he's the most beautiful creature to ever walk the face of the earth?" she quipped, quirking an eyebrow at me in the mirror.

"Yes! Exactly!" I burst, embarrassed by how easy I was to read.

"You and me both, honey. Now, I've never had to get in bed naked with him, not that I'd _complain,_" she waved her hand before continuing, "but I was terrified the first time I met him, and he went out of his way to put me at ease."

My hair was now fully encased in giant pink rollers. "I was expecting him to be this arrogant asshole who just happened to have a face carved by the gods and a perfect ass." She began daubing foundation on my forehead and brushing it into my skin as she continued, "And don't get me wrong, sweetie. I've _touched_ that face. _Seen_ that ass. Both are just . . . well, they're goddamn edible is what they are. But even though he could obviously go home with any woman he wanted, any night of the week, he's actually quite polite and reserved on movie sets. He's a bit of a prankster, I guess, but otherwise is a perfect gentleman. He spends most of his free time alone in his trailer, reading or preparing. I know he'll be nothing but professional with you, Bella." She began applying blush with a soft fur brush. "Just take a deep breath and relax."

I was feeling a bit better after Alice's pep talk, though my stomach was still turning somersaults at the prospect of stripping my clothes in front of a room full of onlookers.

When Alice finished with my make-up, she unwound my rollers and fluffed my hair. I pursed my lips as I looked at my reflection. My hair was wild, tousled in long loose curls. My cheeks looked naturally flushed, and my eyes were impeccably enlarged with Alice's expert hand. I let out a low whistle as I took it all in. I had never looked so sexy in my life.

Alice smiled proudly down at me, handing me a small packet of papery beige material.

"Here are your pasties and thong. Your robe's on the back of the door. I'll leave you alone to get ready. Go get 'em, Bella!" She winked at me before squeezing my hand and breezing out of the room.

She closed the door with a muted click, and I scurried over to lock it behind her. Balancing the tiny plastic bag in my palm, I held it at eye level, simultaneously amazed and terrified that such a small container could house all the garments I'd be wearing for most of the day. I inhaled deeply through my nose and pushed the air out, hard and fast, through my mouth, before peeling off my clothes as quickly as I could. I shimmied into the thong, slapped the pasties over my nipples, wrapped the robe around myself, and then scampered out of the dressing room before I lost my nerve.

I strode toward the soundstage hurriedly before I realized that I had no idea where I was going or what the hell I was doing. Just then, I felt two huge hands - paws, really - squeeze my shoulders.

"You must be Bella," a deep voice boomed as he spun me around to face him. "I'm Emmett. Your Assistant Director. The Doc to your McFly. The Mr. Miyagi to your karate kid. You need anything, you just ask me. Capeesh?" He stuck his hand out and grabbed mine, pumping it up and down enthusiastically.

"Yeah, capeesh," I laughed. "Definitely. Thanks!" His excitement was infectious, and for the first time, I thought today might actually be _fun_.

~X~

I heard him before I saw him. Or rather, I heard the hushed whispers, the gasps and the nervous giggles that preceded his presence. Then, as I painstakingly peeled the label off my Evian bottle in one long, thin, strip, the set began to whir with a frenetic energy, a high voltage current of electricity which sprung from Edward Masen, buzzed throughout the room, and shocked me right to my core. My pulse throbbing in my temples, my cheeks flushed, I snuck a glance in his direction.

_Oh, heaven help me_.

A gaggle of women surrounded him, but I could still make out the shock of unruly copper hair atop his head. I felt a surge of relief, pleased that he'd let his hair grow out from the buzz cut he sported in his last movie, a war film.

Because mugging down with a close-cropped Edward Masen would have been _so _disappointing.

I tried not to stare as he padded around the room, choosing instead to pick the nonexistent lint from the cuff of my luxury bathrobe. Sitting in my director's chair, I crossed my legs and bobbed the right absentmindedly over my left, desperately trying to appear disinterested. Uselessly trying to pretend this was just another day on the job.

But it was futile.

He was wearing a _bathrobe_, for God's sake.

I realized, obviously, that I was _also_ wearing a bathrobe. The _same_ bathrobe, in fact. But this was _Edward Masen_. And he was _here_. Separated from me only by twenty feet, a terrycloth bathrobe, and a sash that hung oh-so-loose on his glorious hipbones.

My heart thudded voraciously in my chest as I watched him work the room. Unlike me, he was completely at ease. An experienced professional. He joked with the crew, bumping fists and slapping backs. He huddled with his acting coach, studying the script and making notes. And then he retreated to the corner of the room, closed his eyes and shoved headphones into his ears. He stood like that for a few minutes, leaning his head back and swinging it slightly from side to side. Tapping his right foot, his hips began to sway in time with a silent beat.

I stared, mesmerized, at the way his long, thin fingers thrummed over his muscled thighs. Tantalized by the way the v-shaped opening at the bottom of his robe inched higher with every tap of his foot. And utterly paralyzed by the noticeable bulge that twitched and bounced with every swing of his hips.

"Wow," I sighed, shaking my head before sinking back into the chair.

"Everything ok, Bella?"

_Oh, God_. Emmett was standing a foot away from me, waggling his eyebrows. He had seen me staring. Swooning.

"Uh, yeah, sorry about that," I muttered, rolling my eyes. "This is just - it's all - it's a lot to process," I explained.

"You'll be fine," he promised, patting my knee. "He's actually very normal. And we're all professionals here," he reassured. "But you might wanna get the fan-girling out of your system because we'll be starting in a few minutes."

"Right. Yes," I smiled, only slightly mortified. A definite improvement. "Consider my system cleared."

Emmett smiled at me and held his fist up to bump mine before turning on his heel and walking _directly_ over to Edward. I couldn't hear them from where I sat, but Edward's eyes shot in my direction.

_Shit. _

Emmett was telling him all about my pathetic schoolgirl crush, no doubt. I felt my cheeks flame as Edward nodded seriously in response to whatever it was Emmett had said about me. Could this situation be any more mortifying?

Yes. Yes, it could.

No sooner had the warm flush reached the tips of my ears, then Edward freaking Masen started walking straight toward me.

Though I knew he'd seen me look at him, I pretended to be unaware of his approach. Like an idiot, I transferred my gaze to the wall behind him.

As if any woman within 100 yards of him could ever be unaware of his approach.

God, I was pathetic.

When he was about five feet from me, I finally mustered up enough courage to look at him.

_Holy mother of God he was beautiful._

"Hello, I'm Edward Masen," he said, hand outstretched. "You must be Jessica's double."

_Uh, yeah, I think I've seen you somewhere before. Like on the wallpaper of my MacBook. _

"Hi, Edward," I managed as I shook his hand. "I'm Bella. Bella Swan."

"Well, Bella, it's a pleasure to meet you. I realize the circumstances are a little . . . unusual. I mean, I usually at least take a woman to dinner before we wind up naked in bed together," he quipped.

_Oh, God_. I felt the scarlet rush back to my face as a teasing smile played at his lips.

"Um, uh, well-"

"Oh, Bella," he laughed. "I'm obviously kidding. Look, I know it's weird, but just relax. I won't bite."

_Damn, that's too bad_.

I worried my bottom lip with my teeth, willing my brain and mouth to work together to form a sentence. An appropriate one. That I could say out loud this time.

"Yeah, ok," I replied lamely. "I mean, yes, I know. It's just my first time doing this, and I'm a little nervous," I explained.

_And the fact that you're about to bury your face between my pasties isn't helping matters. _

"Yeah, well, we've all been there," he nodded sympathetically. "And have all lived to tell about it. I remember my first love scene like it was yesterday. The racing pulse, the clammy hands, the butterflies in the stomach. But now it's old hat. And it will be for you someday, too," he vowed.

"Thanks, I really appreciate you putting me at ease." Ok, I was calming down. Finally.

"No problem, Bella. Just keep your tongue to yourself, and we'll be fine," he smiled wickedly.

"Hah!" I sputtered, then blushed again, embarrassed at my outburst. "I'll try my best," I recovered.

"So, Bella, what do you do when you're not shooting love scenes? Are you an actress?" he asked.

Though he masked it well in films, he still had the slightest twinge of a Boston accent in every day conversation. I was thankful then that I was sitting down. The sound of _my name_ tumbling from his perfect lips in that adorable lilt would have surely made my knees buckle.

Somehow I managed to respond to his question. "I'm in law school, actually. I just moved to LA last year, and some of my actor friends convinced me to look for work as Jessica Stanley's stand-in because I guess we kind of look alike. And, then, well, I got an unexpected promotion when her double got sick."

"Hmmm," he said quietly, furrowing his brow. He studied my features for a moment before responding. "Well, I suppose I see the resemblance between you and Jessica. Though I suspect _your_ beauty is natural."

"Are you saying-?"

He held his hands up. "Hey, you didn't hear anything from me." But he proceeded to plant one fingertip on his nose, and another on his chest.

"Really?" I squealed in a pitch slightly too high.

He quirked an eyebrow at me and nodded.

I was just starting to feel comfortable. Edward was clearly going out of his way to make this as painless as possible.

Emmett's voice was suddenly in my ear as he clapped me and Edward on the back simultaneously. "Ok, you two, time to strip."

_God help me_.

Well, here goes nothing. I turned my back to Edward - and, incidentally, _my front to the whole damn room_ - and dropped my robe to the floor. I was holding my breath, waiting for the crowd to gasp, or to snicker, but there was only silence. I darted my eyes around the room and realized that most people were politely averting their eyes from my near-naked form.

So they _were_ professionals. Thank God for that.

Carlisle, the director, walked toward me then. "Ok, Bella, is it?"

I nodded.

"Ok, Bella, I just need you to lay on your side in the bed. Pull the sheet up to waist-level. You're sleeping, with your hands placed under your cheek so your elbows cover your breasts."

I crawled into bed and did as Carlisle instructed, thankful I was at least partially covered. I wasn't sure if I should have my eyes open or closed. I settled on closed, partly because I was supposed to be sleeping and partly because I sure as hell couldn't handle seeing Edward Masen, inches away from my face, clad only in a flesh-colored banana hammock. I was certain that if I did, my body would erupt into a fit of nervous giggles. Or a spontaneous orgasm.

Inappropriate either way.

I squeezed my eyes shut and tried to lay completely still while Carlisle and Emmett chattered on about framing the shot.

"Ok, this entire scene will be overlayed with music so we're not using mics, Bella. We'll be calling out directions as we go to get the shots we need to put this together, so just go with the flow. Now Edward, when you come in, you turn off the lamp and crawl into bed beside her. No, behind her," Carlisle instructed. I felt the sheets pull taut underneath me as Edward slid into bed. "Right, right. Like that. You're trying not to disturb her, but you kiss her on the cheek. Be . . . I don't know, _precious_ with her or whatever."

Instinctively, I tensed as Edward sidled up behind me. With one warm fingertip, he brushed the hair out of my face before leaning in to sweetly kiss the shell of my ear and then to nuzzle his unshaven jaw against my cheek.

"Right, right. Perfect, Edward. Ok, stay there for a minute."

I lay in bed, eyes still closed, with Edward Masen's cheek pressed against mine.

"You ok so far?" he whispered.

"Umm, yeah," I whispered back.

God, my conversation skills today were seriously astounding.

"Ok, you two, we're just going to have you go with it now. You know the premise. This is make-up sex we're talking about, so Edward, we need sweet at first. Tender. Bella, you're pissed at him still, so you kind of warm to it gradually. I'll tell you when to take it up a notch."

And with that, I was engaged in the hottest foreplay of my life.

With Edward Masen.

He sucked in a deep breath and then traced his fingers up and down my arm. My flesh pebbled in response, and he repeated his path with a cupped palm as if to warm my skin. Resting his chin in the crook of my shoulder, he fisted my hair in his hands and breathed me in before running his lips from the back of my neck to my right shoulder.

"Good, Edward, good," Carlisle mumbled in approval.

Edward then placed his right hand on my waist, giving it a slight squeeze, before ghosting it across to my bellybutton and then straight up to the hollow of my neck, taking great care, apparently - unfortunately - to avoid brushing against my peaked nipples.

_Damn, he was good at this._

His palm stretched around my throat, he stopped and straightened. "Ok, Carlisle, so how long do we need to stay in this position? Am I good to roll her on her back yet?"

"Uh, I actually think we need just a little bit more here. Just continue what you were doing. And Bella, you can start to react to him now."

_Oh, right. _Of course I knew I would need to make some moves of my own. But the prospect of willing my limbs to reach out and touch the god-like man next to me was more intimidating than I had bargained for. I sucked in a deep breath and reached for him, but hesitated.

"It's alright, Bella," Edward murmured in my ear. "You can touch me. I promise you won't hurt me."

With that, he glided his hand over my collarbone and I leaned back into his touch, feeling my nerves calm under his expert hands. Reaching my right arm behind me, I weaved his silky hair into my fingers and gave it a gentle tug. _God, his hair was so soft. _

He brought his hands back to knead into my shoulders before planting soft, feathery kisses on my neck.

"Ok, that's good. That's good," Carlisle praised. "Now Edward, flip her so that she's on her back and you're on your side leaning over her. Then look at her for a bit. We want to do a close-in shot of your face."

I shifted to my back as Edward leaned over me and slid his hand to rest behind my neck. And then he stared - no_, burned - _into my eyes with his. He was completely still, tensed for the shot, save for the thumb that rubbed circles behind my ear, and the tongue that darted out to wet his lips.

The silent stare was sexy at first. Then smoldering. Then slightly uncomfortable as the time passed. I became acutely aware that I was, for all intents and purposes, naked beneath him. And that his near-naked body was hovering over mine - in a room full of people.

His breath was warm against my mouth, separated by mere inches. His eyes were still locked on mine as I struggled to maintain the contact. The effort became nearly impossible as his eyes seemed to be moving closer together. I realized, then, that he was crossing them intentionally. Trying to lighten the moment.

I stifled a giggle, and he smirked slightly, his eyes resuming their intense gaze.

_Oh, God. That smile._ It was the same shy crooked smile he wore on the _People_ magazine stashed under my bed.

"Alright, I think we got what we need from this angle, Edward." Carlisle glanced at his clipboard briefly. "Ok, this is going to be a missionary scene. I think your notes should indicate as much. Let's go ahead and shoot the penetration."

Edward nodded and shifted so that he was straddling my thighs. He rested his hands on his bare hips. "Ok, Bella," he explained, serious now. "The key here is timing. I'm going to thrust my hips forward, and, from the back, it will look like we're touching, but don't worry, I'll keep a small space between us - I've done this a million times, okay?"

"Sounds great," I said, trying to sound nonchalant though I was on the verge of freaking out. I was about to film "the penetration". _With Edward Masen_. My stomach rolled slightly.

For his part, Edward seemed unfazed. He continued talking, business-like, as my moment of inward panic abated somewhat. "I'll press my thumb into your side when your facial expression and body movement should reflect penetration. Does that make sense?"

"Yep, got it," I replied, convincing myself that my voice sounded steady.

Emmett came forward then and arranged the satin sheets around us, draping them so Edward was covered to just below the two dents above his ass. I, of course, was nearly naked and fully exposed, save for the pasties that did little to hide my nipples.

Squeezing my eyes shut, I inhaled deeply to steel myself for the scene. I laid there for a moment, trying to disengage. Trying to ignore that Edward Masen, aka "Sexiest Man Alive," was currently resting his bare ass on my thighs. Trying to forget that his soft lips had just swept along the crook of my neck. And trying to overlook the wetness that had soaked through my paper-thin thong.

"Bella," Edward whispered. I snapped my eyes open to meet his concerned gaze. Embarrassed, I offered him a shy smile of apology before chewing my lip. "We can take a break if you need to," he offered.

"No, no," I insisted quietly, shaking my head. "I'm sorry, Edward. I'm fine. We can go ahead."

I was ready. I would handle this with maturity. With grace.

Edward nodded and inched forward, but then paused, his eyes leaving mine to travel to my lips, and then to my flushed chest. Swallowing thickly, he closed his eyes for a beat. "Ok, let's do this," he murmured, as if to reassure me, and himself.

He lowered himself onto me then, bracing his weight on his left elbow, cupping my cheek with his right hand. His palm was rougher than I'd imagined against my sensitive skin. Despite my attempts at professionalism, at indifference, I lost myself momentarily in the tenderness of the gesture, the believable adoration emanating from his liquid eyes. Unthinking, I turned my face to nuzzle into his palm, inhaling the hot, clean scent of him. My eyes fluttered closed as I melted into his touch.

Ohmygod.

I knew that I was out of line, but I didn't care. My whole body seemed to start and end where his hand made contact with my flesh.

"Nice, Edward. You read my mind. Tender, apologetic." Carlisle's voice interrupted my reverie and I blinked my eyes open. Edward was looking straight into my eyes, his expression one of puzzled amusement.

"Bella, you're doing well, sweetie," Carlisle reassured me. "Just let Edward lead you. Ok, Edward, go ahead."

Edward slid down my body, positioning himself between my legs, poised as if he were about to enter me. I was struggling to maintain some semblance of composure as the warmth from his body heat registered between my legs. Before I had fully gotten a hold of myself, his head dropped to my ear unexpectedly. His humid breath tickled my neck as he whispered too softly for anyone but me to hear. "You are so fucking beautiful, Bella."

Oh. My. God.

I felt a delicious ache churn in my belly at his words. I knew in my head this wasn't real. That we were - or at least _he_ was - "acting." But he'd said my _name_. Edward Masen had said I was _beautiful_.

I was lost, reeling, as he reclaimed my cheek with his hand and bored his gaze deep into my own. His left hand dropped to my waist, caressing the soft skin with his thumb.

_We_ were _acting, weren't we?_

He leaned into me, pressing the full weight of his perfectly sculpted torso onto my practically naked chest.

_Oh God._

A moment later he thrust forward, pressing his thumb hard into my hipbone, signaling me that it was time to react. But I didn't need the signal to trigger the look - the moan - that escaped my lips as Edward's body pitched forward into mine.

He was supposed to be hovering above me. That had been the plan. But that plan had apparently changed. The full length of his unbelievably hard cock was most definitely _not_ hovering as he rubbed it slowly, purposefully forward, against my swollen clit. I gasped in surprise, then moaned in pleasure as I looked up at him and registered the expression on his face.

He seemed to be offering. Silently asking my permission to continue.

_Oh, God. Please God, yes. _

I lifted my hips in response, urging him to proceed. _Please, please, do it again_. The ache between my legs was throbbing, desperate for more friction - for another pass.

And another.

And another.

Carlisle seemed preoccupied, as I viewed him out of the corner of my eye adjusting settings on the camera.

Edward stilled then, despite my obvious invitation for him to continue, and chanced a brief sideways glance before turning back to me with the same slightly puzzled expression. I wondered for a moment if I had been imagining things. Maybe it was an accident? Maybe I had screwed up - unwittingly pressed up into him while he was trying to keep a safe, professional distance between us. It made sense, really. My arousal at Edward's touch, smell, smile - hell, _everything_ about him - had far overtaken any healthy inhibitions I should have had.

Oh God, and now I'd practically _molested_ him in a roomful of people.

But he _did _just say I was beautiful, didn't he?

My mind was still flailing around in disorganized chaos when his hand slid from my hip to the middle of my belly.

_Oh Jesus._

He kept his gaze trained on mine and slowly, _deliberately_, skimmed his long fingers lower. My doubts evaporated. The room around us faded to black. Everything ceased to exist except Edward and his fingers. They paused slightly at the elastic ridge of the flimsy undergarment before traveling lower still, grazing lightly over my clit. I was at once thrilled and terrified of what he would feel if he kept going - knowing full well that the crotch of the laughable excuse for underwear was soaking wet.

But he didn't flinch as his fingers slid lower, the heel of his hand digging into my sensitive nub. His fingers fanned out to cup my swollen lips, purposefully rubbing against the soaked fabric covering the opening at the juncture of my thighs. Massaging my sex with his palm, he lowered his mouth again to my ear. "I can take care of this, Bella. Please, let me take care of this."

_Oh God in heaven. _

I could do nothing but nod vigorously in response. My breaths were coming shallow and fast, and I threw my head back, opening my mouth wider to silence them. Edward removed his hand from my panties and shifted slightly so that his cock twitched against my pulsing center.

His eyes narrowed as my head bobbed up and down, and a barely audible moan drowned in the back of his throat. I was struck then by the mind-boggling reality that _he_ needed this too. That _he_ wanted this as much as I did.

He slid slowly back down my body, his firm length dragging blissfully along my covered sex. The head of his cock thumped against my clit, and the jolt caused me, instinctively, to wrap my legs around his, forcing our bodies closer together. My head was swimming as it fought to process the physical sensation and the impossible reality of the situation.

_This was really happening. I was in bed with_ Edward Masen_._ _Nearly naked. Hooking up. _

I couldn't help the low groan that bubbled out of my throat. Edward's eyes were still piercing mine with the same intense gaze as he leaned down to my ear once more.

"Shhhhhhhhhh," he warned, barely a whisper, before teasing my earlobe with his tongue. "No one will know," he promised, sucking the shell of my ear gently between his lips.

_Oh fuck._

He curled one hand behind my neck, the other firmly gripping my hip as he continued tonguing my ear.

"Ok, Edward, that was excellent. I think we got the penetration shot we need." Carlisle's voice seemed a million miles away. "Now we just need some action shots. You know the drill. Bella, just let Edward lead."

_Gladly_.

Edward turned his head towards Carlisle and nodded once before refocusing his attention on me. His look was one of pure lust.

This was so wrong. So unprofessional.

_So unbelievably hot. _

I didn't care that this wasn't "real." Edward Masen was lying on top of me, grinding his dick against me, making every inch of my body cry out for more. And I wasn't about to deny myself, or deny him, what I knew now we _both_ wanted.

The soft ridges of his toned abdomen were pressed flush against my own smooth belly, pulsing against me with his every intake of breath. His grip on my hipbone tightened and the hand behind my neck tilted my head back ever so slightly. He brought his lips to my neck then, sucking gently as he pushed himself forward again, harder this time, driving his thick cock firmly against my clit. He retreated, the delicious friction rubbing just where I needed it. I reflexively arched my back in response, and taking my cue, Edward dotted my collarbone, the hollow of my throat, and the swell of my breasts with chaste kisses. I moved with him then as he thrust forward again and again, working himself diligently against my sopping wet center.

Braver now, I latched my hands onto his waist, thumbing the contours of the deep "v" that sloped down from his hipbones as my fingers clawed into the flesh of his sides. He let out a gust of breath from his nose and quickened his pace.

I was vaguely aware of Carlisle murmuring something to Emmett as the camera pivoted on its axis. Though I couldn't be sure, it sounded vaguely like "she's good."

Edward wasn't paying them any attention. He lifted his mouth from my breasts and placed both of his hands behind my head, bracing his weight on his elbows as he gently kneaded my scalp. His jaw was fixed in concentration as he thrust his hips purposefully in quick, firm strokes.

"Nice movement, Edward. Very natural." Carlisle called from somewhere, and my mind chose that moment to become acutely aware of his presence. Of Emmett's presence. Of the five or six other onlookers unknowingly watching Edward Masen get me off.

I should have been embarrassed. Uneasy. Or ashamed.

Instead, if it were posssible, I became even more aroused. I felt a fresh surge of moisture pool between my already drenched thighs.

I wanted nothing more in that moment than to climax under his touch, to let myself fall apart in ecstasy, in this room full of unsuspecting people. To make him come for me, here, so that he'd remember this. Remember _me_.

I tightened my grip on his hips, digging my fingernails into his firm ass. Tilting my pelvis, I spread my legs wider and guided his movements, rocking myself against him. His eyes rolled back then and he hissed, "yesssss," so quietly that I knew I was the only one who heard it.

A rush of heat raced through my thighs and settled between my legs, and I felt my toes curl and my abs tense. I was close, and I whimpered as the tendons in Edward's neck flexed, an unmistakable sign that he was nearing his own release.

"Just another minute, you two, and we'll have what we need for the scene. You're doing great," Carlisle praised.

With that, Edward crushed his lips against mine. The kiss was greedy, hungry, as he sucked on my bottom lip before shoving his tongue in my mouth. Breathless, he frantically slid his wet lips over my cheekbone to land on my earlobe. Grinding his cock against me, he whispered, "Now, Bella. _Please_."

_Oh, YES._

His gentle plea was my undoing. I smashed my palms flat against his ass, pressing him hard against my clit, as I exploded beneath him. My sex throbbed and my inner walls clenched as I threw my head back, imagining how his cock would feel, stretching me, filling me. I bit my lip to keep from crying out as the wave of ecstasy fanned out from my center and crashed over every inch of my body.

Edward stilled his hips, arching his back and pushing himself firmly against me. He sucked in a shallow breath as his body tensed above me, and I felt his cock pulse between my thighs as he came powerfully, silently, his emerald eyes shining with a fiery mixture of pleasure and pain.

_Fucking hell. _

_I just made_ _Edward Masen_ come_._

"Perfect, guys. We got exactly what we need there." Carlisle started walking toward us, clipboard in hand. There was no time for recovery.

"Fuck," Edward mumbled, his eyes meeting mine. He looked surprised, disoriented. Shifting position, he sat Indian style in the bed and pulled the sheet up to cover me. I handed him a pillow, which he placed in his lap.

Carlisle and Emmett stood by the bed, praising our performance. "That was super hot, you guys," Emmett gushed. "Totally believable."

_God, if he only knew_.

"Thanks," we muttered simultaneously.

Carlisle and Emmett rushed off, chattering excitedly, while the crew bustled about the room. I noticed then that our bathrobes were laying on the bed, and I reached out to grab mine. Edward stopped me, wrapping his hand around my wrist.

"Wait," he said. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"

_Shit_.

"Um, sure," I blushed, embarrassed. This was not really something I wanted to talk about. I wanted to just remember it, fantasize about it, without the crushing blow of the "this was a mistake" conversation that was surely coming.

We donned our robes, and I shuffled behind him as he led me to his trailer. He closed and locked the trailer door, and he swung around to face me, his hands raking through his hair.

"Bella," he started, pinching the bridge of his nose. "I owe you an apology. What happened out there was, um . . .uncharacteristic, to say the least. And unprofessional in every sense of the word. And I'm so sorry. I don't want you to think I'm some skeezy perv. Because I'm not. But-"

_Oh my God. Please don't apologize_.

"Edward, it's fine. Seriously. You've made me feel so comfortable through this whole-"

He held up his hand. "Bella, stop. Let me finish, please. Look, whatever you think of me, I don't want you to think that you'll be, um, accosted every time you take on the role of a double. I just don't want this to ruin you on the job," he explained, his eyes trained on the linoleum floor.

I scoffed, then realized that it sounded rude and not at all how I intended. He was right that this experience might ruin me on the job, but not in the way he seemed to be thinking.

I went to him then, clutching his muscled biceps in my hands. I needed him to understand I was ok. And he didn't owe me anything.

"Edward, look at me," I insisted. He brought his pained eyes to meet mine. "What happened out there was amazing. For _me_, at least," I corrected. "I mean, I realize that it doesn't mean anything, or whatever, but I don't regret it. At all. So let's just chalk it up to a temporary lapse in judgment. A one-time thing."

His breath hitched and he squeezed his eyes shut, scrunching up his face. Opening his eyes now, he reached for my hand, rubbing circles into my palm with his thumb. "Bella, I think there's been a misunderstanding," he said quietly. "I'm apologizing for being unprofessional. And I hope that you're able to accept my apology. But I want to make this abundantly clear. I'm not, in any way, apologizing for finding you desirable. I have no shame in that."

He paused, gazing into my eyes, before clearing his throat. "And I don't, under any circumstances, want this to be a 'one-time thing.' So, I mean, I don't know what your situation is, or if you'd be interested, but I'd like to see you again. Soon."

_Holy shit_.

I burst out laughing, and he dropped my hand before walking a few steps backward.

"Oh, God, Edward," I laughed. "No, I'm not laughing at you. I mean, I _am_, but only because it's hysterical that you could possibly think that I wasn't interested in seeing you again," I explained.

His eyes flashed to mine, and his lips spread into that crooked smile that had done me in for the last eight years. "Yeah?" he asked.

"Um, yeah," I shrugged, in a futile attempt to seem casual.

"Cool," he replied, mimicking my casual tone. He closed the distance between us and stroked my cheekbone with the tip of his finger. "Well, now that we've been naked in bed together, I suppose I owe you dinner."

~X~

**A/N:** Thanks so much for reading and caring. We are so inspired by the money this project has raised for the earthquake victims. Loving this fandom more every day. XOXO.


	2. Fandom Gives Back Futuretake

**PLEASE READ THIS A/N**! Hi there everyone. It's been a long time since we've posted anything on here. I've been meaning to put this up for a while but I've simply been fail central. Better late than never, right? This futuretake was finished several months ago for Team MasenVixen's Fandom Gives Back auction. Please note that On the Double is NOT going to be a multichap fic and this is not intended to be "Chapter 2" in a longer story. We decided to post it here solely so that those of you who have the one-shot on alert would get a notification in case you were interested. (We'll probably move it to a separate "outtake" story on our profile later.)

Hope you enjoy reading. We had fun writing. We have loved every minute of this whole experience. Thanks for coming along for the ride. xo

Thanks to LolaShoes for prereading. Thanks to Anna for the beta job. And most importantly, thanks to Team MasenVixen for the inspiration and the support of Alex's Lemonade Stand.

Stephenie Meyer still owns Twilight, guys. Still.

**On the Double, FGB Futeretake**

_"Well, now that we've been naked in bed together, I suppose I owe you dinner."_

EPOV

_Three Weeks Later..._

"Where the hell is my tie?" I slammed the dresser drawer closed as Jasper laughed, pulled a drag on his cigarette and strummed a few chords on my new Taylor.

"Dude, you're a multi-millionaire and you only have _one_ tie?"

I shrugged. "Other people dress me most of the time and I don't keep that stuff." I opened my closet and started rummaging through the mishmash of hangers. "But I know I have one around here somewhere that my mom gave me for high school graduation."

Jasper laughed again. "So it's ten years old."

I winced, finding the tie already hanging around a collared shirt, and pulling it out for our mutual examination. "Is it bad?"

Jasper eyed the blue and darker-blue stripes appraisingly. "Nah, it's boring enough to stand the test of time. But Christ, Edward, you realize you could wear a paper bag and still have any chick you wanted, right?"

I glared at him. "I'm just trying to take her on a real date, Jas. Anyway, the place has a dress code." Jasper was my oldest friend and now practically lived on my couch. He didn't pay rent but I let him crash at my apartment most of the time. I traveled a lot for filming anyway. His occupation changed week-to-week, but at present he was trying his hand as a freelance photographer.

"Where are you taking her?"

I pulled a scrap of paper out of my pocket and unfolded it. "Some place called 'Utopia'. I don't know. I just asked Jenks to make a reservation somewhere nice."

"Well, Utopia is sure-as-shit nice, Edward, but I don't think the dress code applies to you."

"Yeah, thanks, but I'd rather not be _that_ douchebag on my first date with Bella."

"So you're going to wear a $40 Polo Sport tie with a three thousand dollar Armani suit?"

I scrubbed a hand at my hair. "I asked Jenks to drop off a suit. I neglected to mention I needed a tie. Should I just go without?"

"Nah, it looks fine. I'm just fucking around, Edward. Remind me again who this girl is? You sure do have it bad, man."

I smirked, thinking back to the one and only time I'd met Bella. It had been more than 3 weeks since our awkward-yet-unforgettable encounter on the set of "Distance". We'd exchanged numbers in my trailer. In a move that was both unexpected and incredibly sexy, Bella had taken the lead and texted me first. Two hours later her name appeared on my screen with the words: "Tag. You're it."

I was impressed at how cleverly she'd managed to both take initiative and put the ball squarely in my court in a simple three-word message. I'd had to leave L.A. immediately for a series of on-location shots in Denver but hadn't been able to get her off my mind. Though we hadn't spoken on the phone yet, we texted every few days.

"She's in law school," I said, smiling. "Her name's Bella and she's . . ." I rubbed the back of my neck, trying to think of an adjective for her. She was incredible, really. She'd obviously been nervous to film the sex scene, but that was to be expected. What was completely unexpected was how down to earth she'd been. How _real_. She wasn't an actress. She had been trying her best and had done a hell of a job, but I could see it all in the openness of her eyes, the goosebumps on her skin where I touched her. She hadn't been responding to the cameras or Carlisle's direction; her body had been reacting only to me.

I'd replayed the scene dozens — hell, hundreds — of times, and I still couldn't pinpoint the moment when I'd decided to "go for it" with Bella. One minute I was explaining the mechanics of filming a believable-yet-_fake_ sex scene, and the next I was dry humping her toward a very real orgasm.

It was the most erotic experience of my life, and we hadn't even had sex. Just thinking about it made me hard.

I shook my head, forcing myself to exit the memory, at Jasper's loud cough.

"Jesus, man," Jasper said, hands up. "No further explanation needed.

"Sorry," I said, taking a seat on the couch and hugging a throw pillow to my lap. "But yeah."

"Cool." He nodded. "But seriously, dude. You need to get that shit under control." He gestured toward the bathroom. "I think a little pregame warm-up is a good idea."

I chucked the pillow at his head and retreated to my room to finish getting dressed.

~X~

I pulled into the circle drive in front of her dorm and turned on my hazards. I'd wanted to pick her up inside, like a guy should on a regular date, but she'd insisted on coming out to the car. There were too many lounge lizards hanging out in the common areas, she said, and she didn't want to draw any unnecessary attention.

I liked that about her. A lot.

As the clock inched toward eight o'clock, I wondered if I was supposed to get out and open the car door for her, or if it was okay to greet her with a kiss, or if that had to wait until later in the night.

_Jesus_. I was so out of practice at this. I hadn't been on a real date in God knows how long.

For the last few years, my love life had been confined to a string of occasional trysts with other celebrities — women who enjoyed a level of fame comparable to mine and understood the importance of discretion. The encounters kept me satisfied in the most basic of ways, without the risk pictures of my dick would end up on the internet.

It wasn't easy — and it wasn't always possible — but I tried hard to keep my private life private. Unless, apparently, we're talking about dry-humping Bella in front of 20 other people.

I closed my eyes and swallowed hard against the memory of her body squirming under me. I had known a few minutes into the shoot that the scene was going to be anything but typical. She'd piqued my interest from the moment we met, and though I'd tried to remain professional, she was just so irresistibly spunky, so adorably shy and yet determined. Finally convinced I wasn't misreading the situation, I'd reached between her legs to find her paper-thin modesty garment was completely soaked through. At that moment, I no longer cared where we were or who was around. All that mattered was this beautiful, mysterious girl and making her feel good.

That day with Bella was unlike any experience I'd had before. My recent typical encounters had been with women desperate and clamoring to claim my dick, to look and sound sexy, to etch their "O" face into my memory. With Bella, every look, every reaction had been authentic. She'd tried so hard to contain it; we both had. But whatever was there between us was too much — too strong to ignore, too demanding to wait for a more appropriate, private setting.

To say that I wanted her again didn't even begin to cover it. I wanted _more_. I barely even knew this woman, and here I was, already wondering about her favorite band, and how she took her coffee, and whether she talked in her sleep.

In other words, I was preemptively whipped. And royally screwed.

Forget all that talk about unresolved sexual tension. Resolved sexual tension is much, much more powerful, especially when all you can think about is resolving it over and over again. I sat in my car, rigid to the point of discomfort and trying to distract myself by naming the starting pitchers of World Series winners over the past decade.

Bella emerged from her dorm and started toward the circle drive. Though she was peering into the dark, clearly trying to discern where I was parked, I didn't signal to her right away. Because . . . _damn_. For all the romantic thoughts and wicked fantasies that had been swirling in my head about this woman, I realized now that I hadn't _looked_ at her nearly enough yet.

She was wearing a simple black dress that would have looked predictable on any other woman, but on her it looked downright illegal. Bella had a lean frame with natural curves rarely seen in my industry. Just a hint of soft cleavage peered out over the square neckline. Thin elegant straps drew attention to her collarbones. It was short without being skimpy. She turned to scan the parking lot and I could see a hint of toned hamstring below the hemline. My thoughts moved to pushing the dress up to her hips, and I rubbed at my face in frustration.

This was a first date; I was going to behave.

I got out of the car and walked toward her, smiling. I leaned in, intending to give her a slight hug, but she'd thought I was offering my arm. The end result was an exceptionally awkward configuration involving us clasping wrists.

_Smooth, Masen. Real smooth._

"Hey," she said, smiling shyly.

"Hi," I replied. "Bella, you look . . . that dress . . . wow. You're _hot_ with your clothes on."

_Try again, Cassanova_.

She quirked an eyebrow at me.

"Shit, I'm sorry. That came out the wrong way. You're obviously gorgeous with your clothes off, too. I like you both ways."

_Fuck_. So much for not making a total ass of myself.

She laughed. "Same here. You look great tonight, though. I like your tie."

"Thanks. My mom bought it for me, like, ten years ago or something."

She laughed again.

"What?"

"Here I am all nervous, expecting you to be Mr. Smooth or something, but you're totally not."

I clutched my chest, feigning shock. "I'm not smooth?"

"You are the _antithesis_ of smooth," she teased, tugging on my tie. The ice was broken and we were both grinning like idiots. I had a good feeling about tonight.

"Antithesis, huh? I'm not used to having such big words thrown around, Ms. Bella Swan, Attorney at Law. Good thing I get the word-of-the-day email."

"Ha," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'll tell you what. You can be the beauty, and I can be the brains, ok?"

I shook my head, opening her car door. "Nope. I'm confident you have me beat in both categories."

~X~

We pulled up to the valet stand and I immediately regretted the decision to come to Utopia. A line of scantily clad women threaded out the door and down the block, all of them craning their necks to see who was coming and going.

Bella's face was turned toward the window so I couldn't gauge her reaction to the scene. It had been a long time since I'd engaged in the high-profile L.A. nightlife. It had been something of a novelty in my early twenties when I was still getting a handle on fame. But I soon learned what a toll the public exposure could take. Don't get me wrong, celebrity has its perks, but seeing my face plastered in the tabloids was not one of them.

"This place is incredible." Bella was craning her neck to look behind the car to the line of people clamoring to see us.

"Really?" I asked, skeptically.

"I've always been curious about these places. I was subsisting on ramen noodles until the double gig."

"Okay, then." I grinned, still unsure, but wanting to show Bella a good time. "Let's go."

I got out of the car and, though I wanted to open her door for her, a suit-clad man with an earpiece took care of that for me while another two men flitted to my side to do the same.

"Mr. Masen."

I nodded, grimacing. "How did you know—"

"Your assistant told us what car you'd be in and what time you'd be arriving. Your table is ready."

As Bella and I were escorted to our table in the back of the restaurant, I was acutely aware of the gasps and whispers erupting from everyone around us. I reached for her hand and squeezed as she shot me a grateful smile.

Once we were settled and left alone, I breathed a small sigh of relief. "Sorry about that, I didn't realize this place was quite so . . . trendy."

Bella smiled. "No, I like it. I'm having fun."

"Really?"

"Really."

"So, tell me, Miss Swan, what have you been up to these past few weeks? I don't feel I've gotten the full story in your text messages."

"Well..." She smiled proudly. "I booked my Civ Pro exam."

I chuckled. "I think there were six words in that sentence. I understood three. Explain please?"

"Oh sorry." Her cheeks pinkened adorably. "Civil Procedure — it's a class about the rules of civil law practice. I got the highest grade in the class."

God, that was a turn-on. I'd been surrounded by brainless bimbos trying desperately to get on my dick for as long as I could remember. This woman was a breath of fresh air. And some floral scent that was driving me insane. Maybe lilac. Maybe iris. Definitely iris.

"Wow." I took a sip of my Maker's, willing my erection to stand down long enough to get through dinner. It wasn't going to happen.

Bella fidgeted with the stem of her wineglass. "Sorry, I'm just . . . . It's kind of crazy to be here with you. I mean . . . everyone is looking at us."

"They are?" I said, genuinely asking. I hadn't been aware of anyone or anything except Bella since we sat down. Her presence was intoxicating.

She made a face that said "are you kidding?" and then gestured toward the bar. "Every girl at the bar has been staring in this direction since we arrived."

I looked over and, sure enough, six heads snapped suddenly away, obviously embarrassed to be caught staring. Another three heads stared unabashedly back, making suggestive eyes at me.

"Ugh," I said. "Sorry.

"Oh my God, is that Lauren Mallory?" I whipped my head around to the table directly behind us. And my eyes locked onto the familiar ice blue glare.

_Shiiiiiiiit_.

"Yeah," I said, scratching the back of my neck. "That's her."

"Wow, she's amazing in person. I mean, she's gorgeous on screen but she's even prettier in real life. She's . . ."

"She's nothing compared to you," I cut her off abruptly.

"Oh, Edward, you don't have to patronize me. I know I'm not—"

"I'm not. I mean it. She's vapid and shallow and—" I stopped short as the expression on  
Bella's face changed from slight embarrassment to dawning realization.

Fuck.

"Oh, you _did_date her, didn't you?" she asked. "After Jury Duty . . . that wasn't just a rumor?"

I sighed, pinching the bridge of my nose. Two years ago I'd made a film with Lauren Mallory about a prosecutor who has an illicit affair with a sequestered juror. I should have anticipated Bella would have seen it

In truth, I'd been avoiding thinking that Bella had seen any of my films. Even after 10 years in the business, I often avoided watching my own work.

"No, it wasn't a rumor." I didn't know what else to say. I'd dated her pretty seriously for seven or eight months before breaking it off. The break-up was amicable but Lauren had never stopped trying to keep in touch.

Bella took a long drink of her gimlet, her eyes darting across the room to Lauren as she swallowed and then nodded. "I should have figured it was true. You guys had great chemistry."

I winced, knowing she must be imagining the graphic sex scene I'd filmed with Lauren. I wanted to tell her the sex was nowhere near that good in real life. But somehow that didn't seem to be the right response in this moment.

"Edward Masen." The voice was right behind me. Bella's eyes were wide as I turned.

"Lauren. How are you? You look well." I was aiming for cordial but detached. She didn't take the hint, though, and ruffled a hand through my hair.

"Oh don't be so formal, Edward. I'm sure your date knows about our history — don't you, sweetie?"

"Bella," I said a little too loudly. "Her name is Bella."

"Nice to meet you, Bella."

"Bella, this is Lauren Mallory," I said unnecessarily. Obviously Lauren needed no introduction but it annoyed me immensely that she seemed to take that as a given.

"Hi." Bella's voice was friendly, no hint of the earlier distress.

"I must say, Edward" — Lauren turned her attention back to me — "I'm a little relieved. I thought for a minute you were here with Jessica Stanley. You realize Bella here looks a lot like her, don't you?"

I bristled. Bella's resemblance to Jessica Stanley was the kind of thing that was apparent if you unfocused your eyes and suspended disbelief. Close enough for body double work with no close-ups, but nothing more. Bella was fresh and natural where Jessica was plastic and oversculpted perfection.

"I'm aware of the resemblance," Bella piped up, smiling as she took another sip of her drink. "So's Edward. It's how we met. I was working as Jessica's body double on a film."

Lauren looked surprised Bella had spoken. "You're a body double?" She said the words as if they were distasteful. "Edward, I didn't know you had a habit of dating the crew."

"No, I'm not a body double," Bella corrected. "I'm a law student."

Lauren sniffed. "Oh."

I knew from my experience with her that Lauren loved to intimidate other girls. Especially other girls interested in me. This was an easy task when confronted with the typical aspiring actresses, singers and wanna-be models. But she was clearly not used to being challenged by someone who could care less about any of that, and who happened to possess a brain.

I reached across the table to grip Bella's hand, rubbing my thumb deliberately across her knuckles. "Well, it's great to see you," I lied, turning back to Bella. "But Bella and I have a lot to talk about, so if you'll excuse us?"

"Of course," Lauren said thickly. "See you around, Edward."

As she slunk back to her table, Bella gave me a mischevious look.

"We have a lot to talk about, do we?"

"We do."

"Like what?"

"Well, for one, I want to talk about the first time we met."

Her cheeks started to redden but she showed no other visible reaction. "What about it?"

"Well, I just want you to know that I don't have any . . . _expectations_ based on that encounter."

"Oh." She pulled her hand away and took a sip of her drink. "Well, that's a relief." But she didn't sound relieved. I could have sworn I detected disappointment in her voice.

I wanted to follow the line of questioning but a familiar movement of a nearby patron caught my attention.

"Oh, shit," I blurted.

"What?"

"Don't look now but there's a guy with a camera over there. It's hard to tell, but he's taking pictures under the table."

Fuck. I didn't know what I was thinking, hoping I could go on a regular date like a normal person. The photos could be on twitter and celebrity gossip blogs within minutes. I was pretty sure a girl with an aspiring legal career didn't want pictures of herself splashed all over Perez Hilton, covered with crudely scribbled cumshots.

"I'm so sorry, Bella. I didn't think—"

"Edward, can I be honest?" she interrupted.

"Please."

"I think we should leave."

"You do?" I said, the relief in my voice palpable.

"I do."

"Thank God," I smiled. I tossed down the bills to cover our drinks and motioned for the maitre'd to have my car brought around.

When we were a safe distance away from the restaurant, I finally slowed down and turned to her. "I guess I was fooling myself that it might be possible for me to take you on a date like a normal guy, but probably better you find out early. This is just how my life is."

"Does it bother you?"

Her question caught me off guard. Some women I'd been with loved the attention, others tried to avoid it. Never had one of them asked how it affected _me_.

"It does tonight," I answered.

"And the rest of the time?"

"I guess I try not to think about it." I loosened my tie. "Most of the time I feel so undeserving of everything I have. It feels selfish to complain about it."

"Well, no one's here but me."

I let out a breath as I considered her question, running a hand absently through my hair.

"Yeah. It bothers me. There's something terrifying about knowing I may never again be able to be anonymous, no matter where I am in the world. And then there are simply nights like tonight when I want to do something a normal guy would be able to do . . . I hate that I screwed this up."

"Edward, you _didn't _screw anything up. I'm having a great time."

""You are?"

"Yeah."

"Me too." I grinned at her before turning back to face the road.

She picked up my ipod and began shuffling through my song selection. "_Bonnie Tyler_?" she asked after a few minutes.

"What?'

"You have Total Eclipse of the Heart on your ipod." The statement was accusatory.

"No I don't."

"Yes, you do."

"Okay, I do."

She laughed. "Edward Masen likes Total Eclipse of the Heart."

"Hey!" I laughed. "That song is a classic."

She was laughing her ass off now as she set the song to "play" and began dramatically singing the opening verse. By the time she got to the chorus, I couldn't resist. We both belted it out together and I rolled the windows down slightly as we flew down the highway.

Several minutes later, the song ended and Bella was wiping tears of laughter from the corners of her eyes.

"Where are we?" she asked suddenly. "Is this your place?"

I put the car in park, only then realizing that in my haste to escape the swarm of cameras waiting for us outside Utopia, I'd unconsciously driven us straight to my apartment. The building I lived in was unremarkable and, frankly, not in a very nice part of town. I'd been living here ever since I first moved to Los Angeles as a broke kid and had never felt an urge to upgrade.

"Uh, yeah. Sorry, I wasn't really thinking about where I was going."

I didn't want her to think I was trying to lure her up to my bedroom at the first opportunity. And although I didn't want the evening to end, I also knew there were limited options that wouldn't draw unwanted attention.

"I know it's not exactly fancy but we could go to the In-N-Out up the road?" I offered. "I'm pretty sure the only things I have in my kitchen are beer and Kraft dinner."

She grinned wickedly. "Good thing I happen to adore Kraft dinner."

~X~

When we walked into my apartment, I began surreptitiously grabbing odd socks and beer bottles strewn about the living room.

"Wow this . . . isn't what I expected," she mused.

"I'm sorry about the mess but I really wasn't planning on having company. Anyway, it's not all my fault. My friend Jasper—"

"No," she laughed, cutting me off. "I don't care about that. I just thought it would be some slick, fancy place."

"Oh, yeah, my agent keeps trying to convince me to move, but I guess I don't see the point. I'm hardly here anyway." I shrugged.

Her eyes darted around the room. I had a pile of unbound scripts I was considering on one end of the couch, a couple of guitars on stands, and a bunch of mis-matched hand-me-down furniture my parents sent with me when I moved out here over ten years ago. Her gaze finally settled on the mantle and her breath caught. "Is that what I think it is?"

She was staring at the Golden Globe I'd won for my role in Jury Duty. It sat unceremoniously perched next to an empty bottle of Pilsner Urquell and the Shoebox greeting card my mother had sent for my most recent birthday.

"It is," I said. "I keep it there in case someone ever breaks in and I need a blunt instrument to use as a weapon. It's really heavy."

Bella laughed. "I can see the headline now: 'Edward Masen Bludgeons Would-Be Intruder to Death with Golden Globe Award.'"

I laughed. "At least I'd be putting it to some use. I don't really know what to do with it," I admitted. "It doesn't exactly fit in my place, does it?"

She shrugged. "It fits as well as you do. I think it's perfect." She smiled. "Are your dates often surprised to see your place?"

The question caught me off guard. I hesitated and Bella's face reddened. "I'm sorry, it's none of my business."

"Let's go make some mac and cheese." I said, smiling and pulling her into the kitchen.

~X~

Thirty minutes later we were enjoying a gourmet feast of cheesy noodles and bottles of Shiner Bock.

"So then," I continued, "Harrison Ford showed up on set. And right before we started filming, I went up and introduced myself. "

"Wow, that's incredible," she gushed. "You've met so many amazing people."

"I told him I loved Primal Fear."

"Oh no." She clapped a hand over her mouth. "You didn't."

I nodded. "I did."

"What did he say?"

"He said he'd pass that along to Richard Gere next time they met."

Bella laughed for several long seconds and then just sat there grinning at me. God, she was sexy when she laughed. But another minute later she was still smiling widely, not speaking.

"Something wrong?"

Bella smirked. "You have Kraft dinner on your face."

"I do?" I said, but she caught my wrist in her hand before I could wipe it off.

"I like it."

At this she leaned forward and kissed me on the cheek, wiping her napkin surreptitiously across the corner of my mouth.

"What was that for?" I asked.

"For being unexpected."

I smiled as she waved the napkin at me. "I wonder how much I could get for this on Ebay."

"Damn, here I was hoping you were going to ask me to autograph your panties or something. All you want is a napkin?"

She giggled and then looked at me thoughtfully. "I'm having a lot of fun, Edward."

"Me too."

"I was really nervous before you picked me up."

"Me too," I said again.

She looked skeptical. "_You_ were nervous? You're a movie star." She said this as if it were the end of the debate.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"The reason I didn't answer your question about other dates seeing my place..."

"Yeah?"

"I've never brought a date up to my place."

"Oh."

And then we were just looking at each other, the silence ringing in the air around us. The ice maker made a churning noise and it started to sink in that we were really here, alone. No one was watching, listening, taking pictures. No microphones, no ex-girlfriends, no curious onlookers.

All the thoughts I'd been trying to keep at bay in the car, at the restaurant, came flooding back as I sat next to her in the kitchen of my outdated bachelor pad. Her smile faded, her eyes got a little wider and her breathing grew heavy. Our eyes met and that same current of energy I'd felt on the film set was alive and coursing between us.

In that moment, my resolve to behave myself was utterly obliterated.

I reached out and traced a finger along her collarbone. "You're so beautiful," I whispered.

I slid my fingers up under her jaw, tilting her head back as she closed her eyes and I pressed my mouth to her throat. I kissed her neck and she sighed, sliding her hands up the sleeve of my shirt, tugging me closer. Our seats at the table weren't conducive to making out so I stood, pulling her to her feet. We were both flushed and breathing heavy.

She tugged at the back of my neck, bringing me to her lips and sliding her tongue across my bottom lip. "Edward," she murmured, before kissing me once, long and slow. "Show me your room."

Without a second thought, I hoisted her up and she wrapped her legs around my waist. We kissed as I walked her backward through the messy living room and into the only tidy room in the house. Reaching the bed, I crawled up on the mattress, laying Bella on the dark navy duvet. I sank back on my heels and took in the sight of her in her tight black dress, her hair spilling around the pillows.

I leaned forward, resting my elbows behind her head and bending down to brush my lips across hers. She shifted underneath me, tilting slightly upward before wrapping her arms around my neck.

"So, this is familiar," she murmured, smiling against my lips.

"Yeah," I breathed, closing my eyes as she raked her fingers through my hair.

"But no witnesses this time," she whispered. "No cameras."

"Bella, I didn't expect — I mean, just because of how we met, I didn't expect us to—"

Bella brought her lips to my ear. "Shhhhhhhhhhh." She exaggerated the demand for me to be quiet, mimicking my instructions on the movie set. She pulled her face back to look at me, her eyes sparkling in amusement. "My turn to shut you up."

I dropped my head to rest on her shoulder, completely overwhelmed by the delicious mix of past and present that was flooding my senses. I was imagining all the things we could do now that we were alone and remembering the thrill of bringing Bella to her climax on camera. My hands were in her hair, my lips on her neck, my tongue on her skin, my mind nearly blown by it all. How good she smelled, tasted. The thumping of her pulse, the rise and fall of her ribcage.

"Tell me what you were thinking that day, Edward," she whispered.

_Christ_. She could not be any sexier. And my cock could not get any harder.

"I was thinking that I wanted to look at you," I rasped. "I was thinking I wished we were alone so I could just peel the covers off of you . . . and _stare."_

She gasped a little and tightened her grip on my waist. I sat back up, taking a moment to collect myself. I wanted to go slow. I wanted to savor her. She scooted back against the pillows.

"Okay . . ." She reached up and loosened the strap on one side, letting it fall down her shoulder, then repeated on the other side. She gently slid them from her arms until the dress hung around her waist, leaving only her strapless bra. Her breasts swelled over the top of the black satin fabric.

I rubbed at my face, my mouth gaping as I took her in.

She raised a questioning eyebrow at me and I nodded.

She reached behind her, unclasping the bra and letting it fall to her lap.

_Fuck._

That day on the movie set, I'd been treated to only hurried glimpses of her body, shrouded by sheets and modesty patches. I was now more grateful than ever that we were alone, that no one but me was enjoying the full, uninterrupted view.

Fame had afforded me experience with women. But before Bella, they had all been slightly modified versions of the same thing: too shallow, too skinny, too tan, and too fake. Bella, I realized with a smirk, was the '_antithesis'_ of all those things.

"What?" She asked, registering my smile.

I shook my head. "Nothing. Just . . . _Jesus_, Bella. You're stunning."

"Well, are you going to just sit there and look at me all night?"

"No," I said, grinning. "But I'm going to need another minute."

She laughed and her breasts bounced a little, making me grow harder. I ignored the wetness I could already feel leaking from my cock and just watched as her skin flushed, her chest rising and falling with her every intake of breath.

Then I crawled toward her on the bed, straightening on my knees and cradling her face in my hands, kissing her.

"Not so fast," she murmured against my mouth, tugging on my tie. "I haven't had a chance to look at _you_."

I smiled, sinking back on my heels. "You want to undress me, all you have to do is ask."

"I'm asking," she said. "I've been wanting to get this hideous tie off all night."

"Oh really?" I balked. "Well, by all means."

With a flip of her wrist, she flung the tie from the bed and began to go to work on my buttons. And then, my belt. When I was undressed to my boxers, she rose up on her knees and pushed her dress the rest of the way down over her hips, revealing a pair of black lace boyshorts. She hooked her thumbs in the waistband, preparing to push them off.

"Stop," I said.

She cocked her head to the side. "Still need a minute?"

"Those, _I_ take off."

I moved her hands and took my time sliding the panties over her hips. I kissed her waist, pulling her flush against my mouth as she gasped and clutched at my hair. When they were halfway down her thighs I straightened and pushed her gently backwards, slipping them finally off.

_Fuck_.

She was flushed and practically writhing, laid out naked in my bed. I had always avoided bringing women to my place because I had never met anyone I really wanted to let into my life. I hadn't planned on bringing Bella here tonight, but now that she was here, I never wanted her to leave.

I quickly shed my boxers and bent over her, relishing the feel of my chest pressed flush against her naked breasts. She hooked a leg around my waist and I reached a hand between her legs, cupping her gently at first, then pushing firmly against her as we kissed.

I slipped a finger inside her. She arched her back and began to rock against me.

I knew I could probably make her come like this, and soon. But I didn't want to. I wanted to taste her and I wanted to make her come doing it. Tracing my lips along her jaw, I sucked her earlobe in my mouth before tugging on it with my teeth.

"Want to know what else I was thinking that day?" I breathed.

"Mmm?"

"I was thinking about how much I wanted to tear those flimsy paper panties off of you. I was thinking about how good you would feel. How easy it would be to just push them to the side..."

She whimpered loudly and I nearly climaxed at the sound alone.

I kissed my way down her chest, pausing only to sweep my tongue once around her nipple, then to her waist, her navel...

"Oh, God..." she moaned, urging me lower with a slight surge of her hips.

I lifted her legs onto my shoulders as I scooted her toward my mouth. I wanted to ease her into this but I just couldn't. I opened my mouth against her pussy and breathed against her for a long moment as she began to tense and then relax against me. I moved my lips ever so slightly, sucking on her gently.

"Jesus, Edward," she sighed, her legs flexing as I sucked, then relaxing when I released the pressure.

I slid my tongue inside her. Surrounded by her warmth, I couldn't think of anything but Bella. She wriggled against me and I couldn't get enough of her taste. I gripped her hips and forced her closer, taking more of her in my mouth.

She gasped harder and locked her thighs around my neck, arching and shaking as she came. When she finally relaxed, I unhooked her legs and kissed her ankle, smiling against her calf as I looked up at her.

"Holy shit, you're good at that," she said, giggling.

I laughed lightly. "So, you're really not an actress, huh? That's a relief."

She shook her head. "I'm no Meg Ryan. That was all me."

"Bella," I said, turning her onto her side and nuzzling her neck. "Tell me what _you_ were thinking that day. What was going through your mind?"

"Hmmm," she mused, reaching behind her to thread her hands in my hair. "I don't think I want to tell."

"Hey," I chastised. "I told you. _Quid pro quo_, Bella."

"Oh no fair," she quipped, "throwing around legal jargon. You obviously know my weakness."

"_Quid pro quo_," I repeated.

"Okay, okay," she relented. "I was thinking that you were even more gorgeous in real life than you were on the wallpaper of my Macbook."

I laughed. "You're kidding."

"Nope."

"Seriously? I'm the wallpaper on your laptop?"

"Yup." She was covering her face with her hands.

"That's . . ."

"Mortifying. Embarrassing. Humiliating."

"No." I gripped her hands and pulled them away from her face, kissing her palms. "That's amazing," I said softly. "Really."

"Well, that's what I was thinking in the beginning."

"Okay . . . then later on?"

She waited a moment, swallowing as if steeling her resolve to answer the question. "I was thinking . . . that I'd never been so turned on in my whole life and you weren't even really _touching _me. I was thinking about what it would feel like . . ."

"Go on," I encouraged, needing to hear her say it.

"To have you inside me."

_Oh holy fuck._

"Bella," I breathed in her ear.

"Mmhmm."

"I want to show you. Let me show you."

"Okay."

She turned towards me and took control then, gripping my jaw and kissing me deeply as she rolled me onto my back and straddled me. My cock was stiff and getting stiffer as she kissed and nipped at my shoulder, my neck.

She scooted down, settling between my legs. She took me in her hand gently, thumbing the head of my cock softly as she rubbed me in gentle pulls.

Christ, it felt good.

"But first," she murmured. "_Quid pro quo_."

"What do you—" But before I could finish the question her mouth was surrounding me, her tongue wrapping around my shaft as her fist gripped the base, pumping just barely as she sucked along my length. I almost laughed as I deciphered her meaning — she was returning the favor. I hissed as she tongued the crevice on the underside of my head, moaning around me. I swept her hair from her forehead, looking down at her lips surrounding me as she sucked.

"Fuck, Bella," I said when I was dangerously close to the brink. "Stop, please." She released me from her mouth, moving up and straddling my waist. I reached behind me to the nighttable drawer and pressed the foil wrapper into her palm. She smiled a little shyly, tearing it open and together we unrolled the condom.

Even though I knew it was coming, I was utterly unprepared for the moment she sank down onto me.

"Oh, Christ," I hissed in time with her own tight gasp. She lowered herself slowly, absorbing my length at a painfully measured pace. I fought the instinct to push up into her, gritting my teeth and gripping her hips. Her eyes were closed, her mouth open, her hair falling in soft sexy tangles around her breasts.

When she'd taken all of me and her body rested firmly against mine, she stilled. She opened her eyes, and locked them onto mine.

"Wow," she panted.

"Yeah," I agreed. "_Fuck_."

I moved my hands to her ass, massaging her, partly to channel the urge to thrust, and partly to encourage her to move. She leaned forward, bracing her hands on my ribcage, and began to rock just a little.

"Shit," I gasped.

"Like that?"

"Yeah, " I said. "Just like that. Take your time."

She braced her hands on either side of my face, staring intently into my eyes, her mouth open, her brow creased. She slowly rolled her hips forward and back, her eyes struggling to maintain contact with mine as she took me all the way in again.

"God, Edward," she whispered. "Oh, God."

Satisfied she was okay, I began gripping her ass harder, pushing her up and pulling her down firmly on my cock. She sat up then, clawing her hands through her own hair and closing her eyes as she let herself just get lost in the sensation of fucking.

Her breasts were bouncing, her teeth gripping her bottom lip as she whimpered in a rhythm of raspy gasps. I could have come right then, just watching her on top of me, but I wanted to finish this the way it all began — with Bella, underneath me.

I stilled her hips with two firm hands and slipped out of her, pushing her back gently into the pillows.

I sucked two fingers into my mouth and then circled them gently around her clit as I pushed inside her again. She was wet with sweat and moaning desperately as I thrust forward and back over and over and over again. Her face bore the same pleading look of exhiliration that had done me in weeks ago. But the feeling of being inside her now was so much _more_, and so much better than I could have imagined. And now, free to let go, she was moaning loudly, saying my name and God's name and a littany of exquisite noises. There was no one to hear but the neighbors, but I was pretty sure they could hear it all. My whole body was tensed, fighting for release when she arched up against me, screaming and cursing as she came again.

"Fuck," I grunted, pushing into her one last time.

We lay entwined, sticky and connected, for several minutes. I gently sucked a nipple into my mouth, laughing against her as her breath caught. "Bella?"

"What?" she asked, lazily running her fingers through my hair.

I crawled up her body and kissed her lips, her nose, her chin before looking her seriously in the eyes. "I promise to never _ever_ shush you again."

~X~

She slept over. As in, we actually _slept_.

Normally, I have kind of a weird thing about sharing the bed. Not that I don't usually stay the night afterward — I'm not _that_ much of an asshole — but I'm the first to admit that I have kind of a complex about someone sharing my sleeping space. All that extra body heat, and the never-ending tugs and twists of the blankets, and that gross thing where you wake up and realize that you're inhaling the air she's exhaling.

But Bella slept in my bed last night, and she's sleeping next to me now, and I'm feeling pretty damn good about it. Don't get me wrong — it definitely wasn't a restful night of sleep. For one thing, she makes these sounds. Not really talking, so much — more like humming, I guess. It's adorable. She's also somewhat of a cuddly sleeper. At various points throughout the night, I woke up with her thigh slung over my waist, her bare chest pressed against my back, her head on my shoulder.

I had been lying awake for the past hour, replaying the sex in its entirety, half-hoping that my morning wood wouldn't wake her up and half-hoping that it would.

"Edward?" She tilted her head back to look at me as I hugged her tight.

I smiled, my chest swelling with happiness that she was awake. "Hey," I said. "Good morning."

"What time is it?"

"It's nine."

"Damn." She sounded disappointed.

"You ok?" I asked, running my fingers along her cheek, her jaw, her throat.

"Yeah. I just have to go soon. I have a study group thing."

"Oh." Now I was the disappointed one. "Do you have time to eat breakfast? I don't have much food, as you know, but—"

"There's an In-N-Out down the street?"

"Exactly. Are you the kind of girl who can eat a hamburger for breakfast?"

"I'm _totally _that kind of girl. But what time do they open?"

"Officially? Ten-thirty."

"But-"

"Bella."

"Oh, I get it," she said, "Ten-thirty or anytime Edward Masen has a craving?"

I shrugged, grinning. "I never said fame didn't have some perks."

"Perfect!" Energized, she bounded out of bed and shimmied into last night's black dress. "I guess I'm a little overdressed for breakfast, huh?"

"Nah," I said, teasing. "I'm pretty sure that's standard morning-after-breakfast attire."

She punched my arm playfully. "Come on," she insisted. "Put some clothes on." She rolled her eyes and smiled. "Let's add that to the list of things I never thought I would do: telling Edward Masen to put his clothes on."

"Ok, ok." I reluctantly pulled on some sweats and a Patriots jersey and began to usher her out of my room. When my hand skimmed across the small of her back, I stopped.

"Bella," I said, spinning her around to face me. "I had an amazing time. God, that sounds so trite. It was more than amazing. It was perfect, really."

"Yeah," she said softly. "Better than I imagined. And believe me, I have imagined. A lot."

I shook my head, chuckling, and then leaned down to kiss her. I brushed her lips gently at first, then wove my fingers in her hair and tasted her tongue with mine. She wrapped her arms around my waist and pressed me to her, whimpering a little when she felt me pressing hard against her.

"Edward," she breathed, breaking the kiss. "We have to go. You keep kissing me like that and I'll be tempted to blow off study group. Law school, even."

I furrowed my brow and scratched my chin, giving her my best contemplative look. "I'll let you go on one condition."

"Oh yeah? What's that?"

"Bring me your phone."

"My phone? Why?"

"You'll see," I said, smiling wide.

"O-kay. . ."

Hand it over," I said when she came back into the room, and she promptly dropped a purple iPhone into my open palm.

"Nice phone," I said approvingly as I began to move my fingers over the touchscreen.

"What are you doing? Seriously. Why do you need my phone?"

I didn't answer. With my arm extended, I held the phone in front of us and whispered in her ear. "Smile, Bella." To my surprise, she didn't question. We both smiled wide as I snapped the picture, and only then did she look slightly confused.

"Edward, what are—?"

I eyed the picture and grinned. We both had bedhead, were grinning like idiots, and I was in pajamas while she was in a cocktail dress. In other words, it was perfect.

"This is better," I declared. "Much better."

"Better for what?"

"For your MacBook."

~X~

Thanks for reading. Much love, M&V


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